A Russian Defense Ministry expedition has reached Kotelny Island in the New Siberian Islands Archipelago, while testing new types of weapons, military and specialized equipment in the Arctic environment, Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov told RIA Novosti.

"Members of the Defense Ministry's Arctic expedition riding motor vehicles from mainland Russia have reached Kotelny Island in the New Siberian Islands Archipelago for the first time," he said.

Defense Ministry and defense industry experts rode snowmobiles and mud vehicles while covering 1,140 kilometers along ice formations in the Laptev Sea and the coastal zone. They set out from the town of Tiksi, reached Cape Svyatoi Nos, crossed the Dmitry Laptev and Sannikov Straits, which link the Laptev and East Siberian seas, and stopped at Kotelny Island. The expedition is to return to Tiksi via ice cover.

Expedition members have already conducted about 100 different research projects and laboratory tests, including technical maintenance and repairs, Bulgakov said.